Jonathon's Road to Recovery

As many of you know, Jonathon was treated for squamous cell carcinoma of the neck about 10 years ago. Although it wasn't the smoothest process, he passed his five year mark cancer-free, and no longer had to participate in screening tests.

However, this past week he was diagnosed with a second cancer after an emergency trip to the hospital. He was rushed in because of the alarming amount of blood he was losing and coughing up. After a brief surgery to stop the bleeding, the doctors found a large tumor (about the size of a walnut) that spanned from his vocal box, tongue, and sides of his throat. Because the tumor could rupture in the future, a tracheostomy was placed so that his airway would be protected in case of another emergency.  A trach is a tube that is inserted through an incision in the neck and runs down the trachea to allow the passage of air. It is expected that he will live with this (and a newly "installed" feeding tube) until the end of his treatment. Not only will this affect his everyday life, but it raises the risk for participating in his favorite hobbies - sailing, skiing, car racing, and hiking. 

After several discussions with family and doctors, he has decided that the best treatment option would be to pursue chemotherapy, although it is unlikely to cure the cancer on its own. A surgery would be extensive with devastating side effects, and low chances that it would fully eradicate the cancer. Radiation would be very aggressive and potentially damaging since he went through heavy radiation during his first treatment. Our family is hoping that chemotherapy will be able to shrink the tumor enough so that the possibility of surgery or radiation won't be so harmful in the future. 

After a long and tough stay in the hospital, Jonathon is finally ready to come home. But with a new trach and feeding tube comes lots of equipment and supplies. We are hoping through the help of our family and friends to alleviate some of the financial burden and make life a little more comfortable for Jonathon as he embarks down another difficult path. Our family loves him very much and wants to see him as painless as possible. He is a great friend, dedicated father, and loving husband. Jonathon has given up so much in this process, and we are hoping to make life a little easier for him.

We appreciate any and all donations made on his behalf. If you are not able to contribute financially, we ask that you venture over to our caregiving/health status page (https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/jonathonhaas) to see if you are able to contribute in any other way, such as giving rides to or from doctor's appointments. In the meantime, we are also looking to raise money for his new life with a trach. So far, our list includes:
- an incline adjustable mattress
- a humidifier (UPDATE: taken care of)
- shower and water filters (to take the bad chemicals out, leave the good minerals in)
- a juicer (UPDATE: Thank you for your generosity Erin McCarthy and Sadie Anderson+family!)

Thank you for your concern and taking the time to visit this page. We hope you are able to contribute in some way and appreciate all help and well wishes!